Asado para dos
By Clare Nisbet
Every day, thousands of Americans flock to Buenos Aires. Don’t let them fool you. They are not looking for tango, women, or European culture. They are not looking to get gaucho, cozy up to Evita, or sample Argentina’s incredible wines. No, my friends, these things are just afterthoughts. Americans in Buenos Aires are looking for one thing and one thing only: beef. Argentine beef is supposedly mythical because cows are raised free and grass fed. This, alongside a favorable exchange rate, allows even the most particular of Texan barbequers to question how they’ve ever lived without the stuff.
Sunday is generally reserved for asados in Argentina. A typical asado usually consists of serious hunks of meat cooked over a charcoal grill, a generous helping of bread, and nothing else. Why muck about with potato salad, greens, baked beans, and all the bells and whistles of American barbeque when all it does is detract focus from the greatest beef in the world? Before landing in Argentina, we were faithful users of marinades, glazes, side dishes, and the like. On our most recent trip home, we made the world’s largest tri-tip to rave reviews and countless friends and neighbors asking the secret of our Argentine asado. The secret is, very simply, less is more. We season meat with nothing but a little rock salt, cook it with the fat on, are careful not to overcook, and allow the delicious taste of the meat to speak for itself. Though the great perfect barbeque debate continues among all men and serious women carnivores, those are some tips to creating your masterpiece.
Last night, Paul and I created the perfect asado for two. Asado for two has always been a bit of a conundrum because we always have enough beef to feed all of Africa and just can’t get the proportions right. For two or three people or a small-scale carnivore party – this is a must-serve.
Buy one large matambre (a very thin cut of a flank steak – go and chat up your butcher!). Over charcoal, sear the steak until slightly browned. Remove the steak and stuff with slices of bell pepper, onions, minced or chopped garlic, and a crapload of crumbled blue cheese. Now roll it up (or fold it over once), stick some kebab sticks in there to keep the mixture together, and cook it until tender, salting both sides of the matambre with plenty of rock salt. While cooking, the veggies soften, the cheese melts, and when it’s finished you are left with a giant, goopy, fresh, delicious steak. We typically serve with salad or mashed potatoes but you can get Argentine with it and just serve with bread – it’s that good.
This particular combination of flavors came to us via our friend Nico, an Argentine/Santa Barbaran enigma, who is constantly elusive but cooks a helluva steak. For this recipe, and for solving our asado for two problem, Nico, we thank you.
Any time in Argentina is a great time for steak, and those of you gearing up for summer in the US must be warming the coals as I type. So try this at your next get-together and you won’t be sorry.
